The Raiders last night hired Lane Kiffin, making the 31-year-old Southern California offensive coordinator the youngest NFL head coach in decades.

Kiffin, the son of Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, earned the job with a strong interview yesterday after the Raiders failed to reach a deal last week with 32-year-old Steve Sarkisian, Kiffin’s fellow assistant to Pete Carroll at USC. The Raiders called a news conference for today to announce the hiring.

* Mike Tomlin, the Vikings’ defensive coordinator, was hired by the Steelers – the first black head coach in the team’s 74-year history.

Tomlin is expected to make about $2.5 million a year under a four-year contract. The 34-year-old was an NFL coordinator for only one season.

BLOTTER: Vick cleared

Falcons QB Michael Vick was cleared by Florida authorities of any wrongdoing at a Miami airport.

Vick’s water bottle was seized by security at Miami International last Wednesday. Police said it smelled of marijuana and had a hidden compartment that contained a “small amount of dark particulate.” But lab tests found no evidence of drugs, according to a memo by a Florida assistant state attorney.

* Bengals cornerback Johnathan Joseph was arrested in northern Kentucky early yesterday and charged with possession of marijuana – becoming the ninth Cincinnati player arrested in the last nine months. The Boone County sheriff’s arrest report said Joseph was the passenger in a weaving vehicle driven by a woman who had a suspended license.

SOCCER: Beckham’s Real-ity show

David Beckham will not leave Real Madrid before the end of the season.

“One thing is clear, he still has six months left in his contract,” team sporting director Predrag Mijatovic said. “He has to complete his contract.”

The 31-year-old midfielder hasn’t played for Madrid since agreeing Jan. 11 to a five-year deal with Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Galaxy.

BASEBALL: Ramon Ortiz to Twins

Right-hander Ramon Ortiz and the Twins agreed to a $3.1 million, one-year contract. Ortiz, 33, went 11-16 with a 5.57 ERA over 33 starts last season for the Nationals.

HOOPS: Hawks’ Smith fined for flip-off

Hawks forward Josh Smith was fined $25,000 by the NBA for making obscene gestures to the crowd as he left for the locker room following a second-quarter ejection Saturday night in Charlotte. Smith raised both middle fingers to the crowd.

HIGH SCHOOLS: St. Francis star to Storm

Mike Cavataio, a 6-foot-5 swingman from St. Francis Prep, has verbally committed to St. John’s – which only really started recruiting him a week ago. -Dan Martin